Montreal Canadiens Seek Strong Start Against Boston Bruins

The Montreal Canadiens are set to face the Boston Bruins in a critical early season matchup at TD Garden on Thursday, aiming to build on their opening win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens secured a 1-0 victory in that game, notable for goaltender Samuel Montembeault‘s record-setting performance. He stopped all 48 shots faced, contributing to the team’s hopes of a strong start to the 2024-25 NHL season, a feat last achieved by the Canadiens in 2015-16.

Montembeault’s display against the Maple Leafs was supported by a goal from forward Cole Caufield, who marked his 150th career point. This achievement underscores Caufield’s importance to the team, particularly as they look to produce more offensive plays in their current campaign. The Canadiens’ offensive lineup, consisting of a promising mix of seasoned players and new talents, including 21-year-old Oliver Kapanen, is keen to find synergy and overcome their teething tactical issues under head coach Martin St-Louis.

In contrast, the Boston Bruins are aiming to rebalance after their own shaky season start. They suffered a defeat to the Florida Panthers, despite goals from key players like Pavel Zacha and David Pastrňák. The Bruins, managed by head coach Jim Montgomery, have bolstered their squad with additions such as Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov during the offseason. The team’s expectation is to finally utilize Jeremy Swayman in-goal, after contract negotiations kept him out of preseason play.

Historically, Brad Marchand holds significance for the Bruins as he stands one goal short of matching Rick Middleton‘s record for the fourth-most goals in franchise history. His potential contribution in the matchup could be pivotal for the Bruins as they seek redemption from their season-opening defeat.

The Canadiens’ head coach has confirmed that Cayden Primeau will be the starter in-goal for the upcoming match against the Bruins. Primeau, a Northeastern University alum, is set for his First NHL start in Boston, as the Canadiens aim to maintain their momentum.

The two teams come into this game with different aspirations. The Canadiens are looking to outpace their developmental struggles with an assertive play against a structured team like the Bruins. Meanwhile, the host team seeks to overcome their weaknesses exposed in their previous match, with a view to establishing dominance early in the season.